Abstract
Cancer in the adolescent and young adult phase poses additional challenges to this period of development that is crucial to the transition to independence. This report provides a brief review of normal developmental milestones in this age range while highlighting the disruptive effects of cancer. We focus on the psychological burden of cancer in patients aged 15–39 years and explore the application of the total pain model to highlight the psychological/emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of non-physical pain. We also briefly review posttraumatic growth and resilience. Lastly, we provide a review of areas for possible development and future research.
Highlights
The adolescent and young adult (AYA) phase is a time fraught with unique challenges, with the ultimate goal of transitioning to independence
The focus of this review is the psychological distress in AYAs with cancer, it is important to note that the experience of cancer can lead to resilience and personal growth
A concerted effort to increase the knowledge about the AYA population and their unique needs has been made, there are still many gaps in knowledge and care delivery
Summary
The adolescent and young adult (AYA) phase is a time fraught with unique challenges, with the ultimate goal of transitioning to independence. While AYAs experience a heavy physical symptom burden secondary to their cancer [2,3] and more treatment-related toxicity compared with younger patients [4,5], they experience a high psychological burden related to non-physical factors of pain [5] This will be the focus of this review of the literature. Survival has improved for AYAs over the past few decades, with the 5-year overall survival approaching 85% [8]; outcomes have remained stagnant for many AYA cancer diagnoses, including sarcomas and central nervous system tumors [9] Cancer types in this group of vulnerable patients differ when compared to other age groups. Canancecrerisisoonneessuucchheexxppeerriieennccee,,oorr rraatthheerr aa cclluusstteerr ooff eexxppeerriieenncceess,, tthhaatt iiss ppaarrttiiccuullaarrllyy ttaaxxiinngg eemmoottiioonnaallllyy These adolescents and young adults are at the start of their adult lives and striving to become independent productive members of society. There is limited data looking at the effectiveness of these screenings and the effect on outcomes
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